Safety device for the fixation of ski



' 23, 1940. M. DURET SAFETY DEVICE FOR THE FIXATION 0F SKI Filed Sept. 7, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Mll=====7 23, 1940. M. DURET SAFETY DEVICE FOR THE FIXATION 0F SKI Filed Sept. '7, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 III/I'lllllll.

Patented Apr. 23, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Marcel Duret, I-Iabere-Lrillin, France Application September 7,1938, Serial No. 228,844 In France September 10, 1937 4 Claims.

The present invention has for its object a safety device for the fixation of ski, permitting of their separation from the feet of the skier as soon as a violent efiort is exerted, for example in case of a downfall, and so on.

The particularities of this device will become evident in the course of the following description and with reference to the accompanying drawings showing:

In Figure 1 an attachment system making use of a flexible member, improved according to the invention;

In Figure 2 a longitudinal section of the safety device applied to the lever shutting the flexible member;

In Figure 3 the safety device in transverse section; Figure 4 is a View similar to Fig. 1 showing a slight modification;

In Figure 5 the piecesconstituting the device,

in perspective views, as they present themselves previous to assembling;

In Figure 6, the device in longitudinal section, after assembling;

In Figure 7 another embodiment of this device;

In Figure 8, the embodiment of Fig. '7 in transverse section, and

In Figure 9, still another embodiment in transverse section.

According to one, the first, embodiment of the subject matter of the invention, merely cited in the way of example, the safety device is placed on the shutting system 'i of the flexible member 2 (Figure 1) so as to permit of putting the flexible member around the shoe. The flexible memher is fixed to the ski I, by means of a screw 3 screwing into a nut 3 journalled between the arms of a tightening clasp 4 pivoting in a stirrup 5 secured to the ski I. This tension system permits of a more accurate micrometric adjustment than can be obtained by the hitherto usual slopes (or racks).

The safety device comprises a blade 5 or a lamel (Figure 2), fixed to one of the extremities w of the flexible member 2 and engaging a piece I of U-like section, forming a guide (see also Fig ure 3).

The extremity of the lamel 6 is pinched by a lever B pivoted to the piece 1 secured to the heel or rear portion 9 at the other extremity of the flexible member 2.

The lamel 6 is maintained on the piece T, be sides by the lever 8, only by the flanges Hi permitting of a certain elasticity of the lamel in 5 its central part. At this place is provided a screw ll, witha lock-nut, traversing the lamel (Figures 2 and 3) and engaging a recess l2 provided in the piece I.

It is obvious that the force pinching the lamel 6 by the lever 8, and the pressure of the screw 5 I I to the piece I permit, owing to their combined action, a fixation of the blade 6 to the piece I, which will be the more powerful the more the screw is screwed into this blade.

Nevertheless this manner of fixation permits 10 the separation of the lamel from the piece I if the traction eifort surpasses the effort of fixation, the buckle or the bent rear portion of the flexible member getting thereby loose or opened and liberating in this way the foot of the skier. 5

A web 8 can be provided in the lever B, for engaging the slit of the screw 1 I so as to prevent its rotary displacement.

Such a safety device comprising a guide is applicable, instead to the system shutting the flex- 20 ible member, to any other suitable spot, for example to any other point of the flexible member and especially to the point of its fixation to the ski.

In this case, the elastic lamel 26 (Figures 4 and 25 5) is fixed to the flexible member 2 in its central buckle, and enters the piece 21 integral with the screw 3 of the stretcher of the flexible.

The lamel 26 is provided with an offset portion 26' (Figure 6) cooperating with a bridge 30 pro- 30 vided below the piece 21. The bent lever 28 and the screw 3| permit of applying the offset portion more or less strongly against the bridge, the

elasticity of the lamel nevertheless permitting of its escapement in case of an abnormal efiort. 35

A lock-nut 3| permits of blocking the screw 3| in its position corresponding to the best convenient pressure upon the lamel 26. r

The safety device can also be applied directl to the socket 25 for the fixation of the flexible 49 to the ski.

In this case the socket 25 (Figures 7 and 8) is constituted by a U-like, sufliciently, long piece wherein slides another equally U-like piece l3.

, The wings of this second piece l3 are provided with grooves l4 extending over a certain length of the wings and destined for engagement of the extremities of screws 4| traversing the wings of the socket 25. 50

The pivoting tensioning lever 4 supporting the nut 23 of the screw 3 accroaching the flexible 2, is articulated at l5 to the wings of the piece l3.

Here too it is obvious that for a determined effortadjustable by means of the screws 4|, the

piece l3 separates itself from the socket 25 pushing against its wings so as to liberate the flexible 2 and to permit of its separation from the ski.

It goes without saying that the pieces 25 and. I3 could receive any other appropriate section, for example the one shown at 35 and 33 in Figure 9.

Obviously the above described embodiments of the safety device are in no way limitating the possibilities of execution, since manifold modifications both with regard to the general ar rangement and to details are possible within the scope of the present invention.

What I claim, is:

1. In a system for fixation of the foot to a ski, comprising a metallic flexible member forming a loop for partially surrounding the heel of the shoe, and means fixed to the ski to permit of pulling up and tensioning this flexible member, a safety device placed on the fiexible member for releasing the foot of ,the skier in case of an efiort surpassing a certain limit, the said device comprising a sliding member constituted by an elastic lamel, and a retaining member constituted by a guide, and furthermore a cranked lever articulated to said guide-member, the said lamel sliding in the said guide-member and being pinched by the cranked portion of said lever in closed position of the latter, the limit of resistance of sliding of the lamel in the guide being adjusted by a screw traversing the lamel and engaging a recess provided in the guide.

2. In a system for fixation of the foot to a ski, comprising a metallic flexible member forming a loop for partially surrounding the heel of the shoe, and means fixed to the ski for permitting pulling up and tensioning said flexible member, a safety device placed on the flexible member for releasing the foot of the skier in case of an effort surpassing a certain limit, said device comprising a sliding member constituted by an elastic lamel, and a retaining member constituted by a guide, and, furthermore a cranked lever articulated to the member forming guide, a cranked portion on said lamel to slightly accroach a bridge-like part provided in said guide member, said lamel sliding in this guide member, the bent portion of said lever maintaining said cranked portion of the lamel over the bridge of the guide after closing said lever, the limit of resistance of sliding of the lamel in the guide member being adjusted by a screw fixed in the guide member and exerting a pressure upon the lamel.

3. In a system for fixation of the foot to a ski, comprising a metallic flexible member forming a loop for partially surrounding the heel of the shoe, and means for fixing and tensioning the flexible member, said means being fixed to the ski, a safety device placed on the flexible member for releasing the foot of the skier in case of an effort surpassing a certain limit, the said device comprising a member tightly sliding in a retaining member, the limit of resistance of sliding of the first member in the second member being adjusted by a screw, the said device being arranged on the flexible member itself in such manner that the sliding member is fixed to one of the extremities of the flexible member and the retaining member to the other extremity and that the flexible member opens itself for liberating the foot when the two members are separated from each other.

4. In a system for fixation of the foot to the ski, comprising a metallic flexible member forming a loop for partially surrounding the heel of the shoe and means fixed to the ski for permitting pulling up and tensioning said flexible member, a safety device placed on the flexible member for releasing the foot of the skier in case of an efiort surpassing a certain limit, the said device comprising a member tightly sliding in a retaining member, the limit of resistance of sliding of the first member in the second member being adjusted by a screw, a lock nut preventing all undue displacement of, this screw.

MARCEL DURET. 

